Image Source: NDTV
World –The Strait of Hormuz is once again under strict Iranian military control, after the country’s operational command, Khatam al-Anbiya, accused the United States of violating negotiated agreements.
The announcement came after Iran had briefly declared the vital waterway open to commercial shipping on Friday. Hours later, the military command reversed course, saying the United States had failed to honour its commitments. Reports indicated some ships had already begun moving through the waterway before the reversal took effect.
“Control over the Strait of Hormuz has reverted to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control of the armed forces,” the Khatam al-Anbiya spokesperson said.
Washington stood accused of piracy and maritime theft despite prior agreements allowing the managed passage of some ships. Iran claimed it met its commitments, but the United States reneged.
“As long as the United States does not ensure complete freedom of movement for vessels from Iran to their destinations and back, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain under strict control and will remain as it was before,” the statement added.
The reversal occurred within hours of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s declaration that the strait was open to all shipping traffic. This initial announcement led to sharply lower oil prices, but the subsequent military reversal left the waterway’s actual status unresolved, unsettling energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, a waterway that sits at the centre of global energy supply chains and is responsible for the movement of around 20 percent of the world’s oil at sea.
